


Partners For Life

by Adanvers_75



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 08:01:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15601911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adanvers_75/pseuds/Adanvers_75
Summary: Elliot's words cause a deep pain in Olivia after a disagreement in their latest case ends in an argument. Can Elliot make it up to Olivia? Or will the disagreement cause their partnership to finally fall apart? (Loosely set around s08ep11)





	1. Chapter 1

It was late on a cold winters night, most people were wrapped up warm in bed but for the detectives of the 16th precinct in Manhattan the night was only just starting. Partners Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler had been assigned a case days before, where a wife had accused her - soon to be ex - husband of rape, however she had soon recanted her statement. It was at this time that Benson and Stabler had started to disagree on the case. While Stabler believed the woman was lying about the rape, Benson was convinced that the woman was telling the truth, leaving tension between the pair.

The pair were talking to their Captain about the case when their fellow detective came over with some interesting news for them.

"Lab came back with a match to the hairs found at the crime scene." Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola informed them "Belongs to Miles Sennet."  
"Oh, so much for him not knowing where they live." Benson remarked  
"That doesn't prove he was in the house. Where were the hairs collected?" Her partner counted  
"Daughter's room, hallway, common area."  
"Any prints?"  
"Smudge, nothing usable." Fin informed them.  
"Tessa was in her dad's house. She could've tracked that stuff home." Stabler commented, to his partners disgust.  
"To several different locations? You're reaching." Olivia spat out  
"And you've got blinders on." The man sneared back" Look Liv, I'm the longest relationship you've ever had with a man. You have no idea how bad things can get when a couple goes sour."

They all saw the hurt flash in Olivia's eyes, which was quickly masked with anger, disbelief and hatred towards her partner.

"And eight years in this unit tells me that I don't need to be married to know when an abusive man is escalating" she threw back at him before storming off.

Everyone in the unit knew how difficult Olivia found it to be in a steady relationship while working as a sex crimes detective. In the 8 years she had been there she had had many dates with different men - ranging from lawyers, to journalists, and even with other police officers - but none of them had ever worked out. And while it was true that Olivia's longest relationship with a man was indeed with her partner of 8 years , Elliot Stabler, she was never ready to admit it. She didn't want to have to rely on someone who had his own family and would never understand how it feels to be her. 

*****

Olivia was sat on the roof of the precinct, staring at the stars and listening to the silence of the city around her. She had been so out of it that she hadn't noticed the tears that had fallen down her olive skin. She had no idea how long she had been sat up there for before she drifted off to sleep against the wall. 

The woman was suddenly awoken by the sound of a voice saying her name. Her eyes shot open and her hand instinctively went for her firearm, however she soon saw that there was no threat, just her colleagues Fin and John Munch standing in front of her.

"Olivia, Craven wants you" Munch told her as the pair helped her to her feet.

"O..okay" she replied swiping at her face to remove any sign of the tears that had previously stained her cheeks.

"Don't worry baby girl, he sent Stabler out to interview some more neighbours" Fin reassured her as they made their way down the stairs, to the 6th floor.

Olivia walked into the office of her captain and sat down. Waiting for him to talk.

"Are you okay Benson?" The older, balding man asked her from behind his desk.

"I want a new partner"


	2. Chapter 2

"I want a new partner" 

Her words rang in the older man's ears. The room stayed silent as he tried to get his head around what his best detective had just said.

"Cap? Did you hear what I said?" She asked eyeing up the man "I said I want..."

"A new partner. I heard you Olivia" Cragen interrupted. "I guess I'll start the paperwork for your transfer then" he said turning to the filing cabinet behind his desk.

"No sir. I don't want to transfer" Olivia interjected making the man turn towards her again "I...I would like to stay here, at the precinct, but if it is okay with you, I do not want to work with Stabler anymore"

"Um, okay, yes that's fine. I'll partner you with Fin, Stabler can go with Munch"

"Thanks Captain" Olivia said as they stood from their seats and watched her old partner walk back in and sit at his desk.

The captain walked to the door and opened it into the bullpen. He watched as three of his four best detectives sat at their desks doing work and he couldn't help but wonder what happened to make him split up his very best detectives.

"Munch, Fin, here now" He called.

The two men walked to the doorway where their boss and Benson stood. Cragen informed the men that their partners were changing, but that their desks would remain the same. The trio then walked back over to their desks, drawing Stabler's attention.

"Good choice Benson, now you get the better partner" he joked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and squeezing her lightly.

As Olivia sat back down at her desk she felt eyes on her. She looked up and her eyes immediately locked onto Elliot's. She looked away but could still feel him staring.

"What do you want Stabler?" She asked without looking up from the desk

"What did Fin mean when he said 'now you have the better partner'?" He asked, concerned laced through his voice.

"The captain has swapped us around"

"What do you mean?" He asked again.

"I'm with Fin, you're with Munch." She finally looked up and she hated what she saw. She saw the pain in his eyes as she finished her sentence "Captain's orders"

Elliot suddenly stood from his seat, and stormed towards the captain's office. He threw the door open and entered before Cragen knew what was happening.

"Why did you split us up?" He asked

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you split me and Liv up?" Elliot asked again raising his voice.

"Because I am your captain and I can do whatever I want with MY squad" Cragen said back raising his voice as he got up from his chair

"But we had the best closure rate. Just put us back together.. please" Elliot begged

"I can't"

"Why not? You just said you can do whatever you want, why can't you put us back together?"

"I can't put you back with detective Benson because" he paused "because she asked for you to be split"

Elliot stood speechless. Had he heard that right? Did Olivia really ask to be separated from him? He couldn't understand why she would do that when they had been working so well together.  
The younger man walked out of the office without saying anything else, hearing the words of his captain go round and round in his mind. Elliot had no idea what he was doing anymore, but one thing was certain... his life was crumbling to the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been 3 weeks since Detectives Benson and Stabler had been split as partners. Olivia had only spoken to Elliot if it was completely necessary at work, however if he tried to ask her anything personal she would shut down. They had not interrogated anyone together since the split, but one case required the entire team to rotate who was interrogating the suspect. The pair had been interrogating the suspect for 3 hours when Olivia was pulled out by her captain.

"Captain, I almost had him, why did you pull me out?" She asked as they walked to the captain's office.

"You remember Agent Porter" the man replied as the stepped into the office where a tall man stood waiting for them.

"I'm not going back under cover." Olivia said to him "so let me go finish getting this guys confession"

"I'm not working for domestic terrorism anymore" the agent informed her. "I work for the Sexual Offender Apprehension task force. I'm looking for a guy who jumped bail in Jersey on stalking and rape charges, you might know him.... Simon Marsden"

Olivia stood dead in her tracks, staring at the man who had just mentioned her brother. She had no idea what to say and luckily her captain spoke up before she had to.

"You're going down town with him detective, no arguing"

And with thatagent porter left the precinct, with a very disgruntled detective following him.

***

"Simon Marsden was left a stash of money at a store 2 blocks from you apartment, he cashed it in 3 days ago. It was you that gave him that money, Olivia. Why are you helping him?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about" she replied blankly as she looked at the picture of the man cashing the money.

"Tell me the truth Olivia, how do you know Marsden?"

"The truth?" She asked looking up "The truth is, Simon Marsden is my brother. His father raped my mother and she had me. He called me off a burner phone 4 nights ago, but i dont know where he is.Now can I go?"

"You can go, as long as you promise to tell me when he next calls you"

The detective agreed and was soon allowed to leave. She made her way back to the precinct as was informed by detective Stabler that their suspect was refusing to talk to anyone except detective Benson.

***

"Is this necessary?" Michael asked as the detective cuffed him to the table.

"Is that what those two girls asked you when you tied them up?" She threw back at him as she watched him fiddle with the metal on his wrists.

You scared of me detective, is that why you cuffed me?" The man smirked, causing Olivia to snack him round the head. "Is this how you get off? You like you guys in chains?"

"Yeah, you like your woman at knife point?" She said leaning in and grabbing his face with her hand. "Those big boys in prison are going to love your pussy percent ass up there"

"I get it" the man chuckled "You have a thing for perverts. What did someone fiddle you when you were a kid?"

Olivia finally had enough and threw the man off his chair before kicking him over and over again, while shouting obscenities at him. Stabler and Captain Cragen were soon in the room pulling her off of the man and out of the room.

"Get off me" she screamed as the captain let her go.

"What the hell is your problem?" He asked as he followed her out of the room "a five year old would have done a better job at getting a confession"

"Then hire one" she sneered back as he grabbed her arm

"We are not finished yet" he yelled at her

"Get your hands off me" she said before walking out of the room and up to the cribs, swiftly followed by detective Stabler.

He walked in and saw her putting her jacket on.

"What was that? What are you doing?" He asked pushing her locker shut and staring her in the eye

"Oh the poster boy for rage is going to tell me how to control my anger?" She laughed

"Liv, what is your problem?"

"Leave it alone Stabler, you do have the right to check on ME anymore. I'm going home" and with that she left.

Olivia stormed out of the precinct, picking up her keys and phone from her desk as she went. She reached the front steps of the building and noticed the rain beating down on the road ahead of her. Without a second thought she stepped out into the rain and let it fall on her. The woman began to walk, she had no specific place in mind that she wanted to go to, she was just walking. 

It had been three hours and Olivia was still not home. She had decided to sit under a tree in central park and watch the rain fall. Olivia had always loved the rain, it made her feel at peace listening to it hit the ground. She had fallen in love with the rain when she was 12, after her mother had come at her with a broken vodka bottle. She had left the house and sat on a bench feeling the cold liquid run across her skin. And now here she was twenty years later sitting under a tree feeling the cold rain drops soak through her clothes and into her skin, as hot tears seared the skin on her cheeks. She let her tears fall knowing that they could be masked as rain drops if anyone walked past. 

After another hour of her sitting in the rain, Olivia finally decided it was time to go home. She stood up from her spot on the floor, brushed down her legs and headed home. The detective immediately stripped herself of her wet clothing and hopped in the shower once she was home. She allowed the water to cascade down her body as she thought over the events of the day. Her mind lingered on her conversation with her old partner and she began to feel guilty about being so ride to him. She wanted to apologise but they hadn't spoken properly since she asked for a new partner. Would he be okay with her going over there without warning?

Her mind ran over this question over and over again as she stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her towel around her body and was about to get changed and head over to Elliot's to apologise when she heard a knock at the door. The woman walked to the door and opened it without checking who it was.

"Elliot?" She asked.

Elliot Stabler stood on the other side of the open door, his clothes were soaked due to the rain outside. He took in the sight of his old partner who stood in front of him. His eyes started at the top of her head - her hair was wet from her shower - and then his eyes travelled down her body. He watched as a single drop of water fell from her hair and travelled down her neck, across her shoulder, down her chest and down the valley between her breasts. Olivia watched as his eyes fell to her chest, slightly taken aback by his boldness. She folded her arms, unintentionally pushing her breasts up. Elliot suddenly realised that he was staring at her and he tore his eyes away so he could look into her eyes.

"Hi" he choked out with a small smile.

"Hi" she responded. "Did..did you want to come in?"

"Um, yes please" he responded.

Olivia opened the door wider and turned round walking into the apartment with Elliot close behind her. He shut the door behind him and he could help but watxh her as she walked away. He watched as her hips swayed slightly as she took each step, he noticed how short her towel was, which barely covered her ass. A quiet groan escaped his lips as he watched the material rub against the soft skin of her upper thigh.

"I'll go and get changed. Then we can talk" Olivia told him as she walked into her bedroom.

Elliot sat down on her couch and waited for her to come out of her bedroom. He heard her shuffling around in the other room and he turned to face the door. Just as he turned round he saw her walk out of the room wearing a pair of black shorts and an NYPD top. He noticed that she had clothes in her hand.

"Here, these are for you." She said handing the clothes to him. "You can change in my room"

"Thanks Olivia" he smiled as he took the clothes and went to get changed.

When he re-entered the room he noticed that she had poured a glass of wine and had set a beer down on the table in front of the couch. He sat down next to her and took the beer. He looked over at her and couldn't help but see the beauty in her face. Behind her swollen red eyes, he could see her beautiful brown orbs staring down at the floor.

"Elliot, I am sorry for what I said in the cribs earlier." She spoke softly.

"Olivia it's fi-"

"No, let me finish. I'm sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. I was annoyed that my case agent from when I was under cover accused me of helping a criminal, I'm annoyed that I took it out on our suspect and then got kicked off the case, I'm annoyed at everything. Everything is my fault. And I'm sorry I took it all out on you" Olivia sat staring at her coffee table as a tear rolled down her face. She felt so bad about what she said to Elliot and how much pain she must have put him in recently. 

Elliot had no idea what to do. Usually he would make some kind of witty joke about being partners but he couldn't do that. He decided to out his beer down and edge closer to the woman sitting next to him.

"Olivia" he said putting a hand on her knee. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You were annoyed and needed someone to take it out on. I'm not bothered about what you said, I never have been bothered by things you say to me, I just want to make sure you are okay"

Olivia listened to what he had to say and couldn't help but sob. He was being so nice to her and she had done nothing to deserve it.

"Why are you being so nice to me Elliot?" She asked finally looking into his baby blue eyes.

"Because you are my best friend, my partner in crime" he hesitated as he said the last bit and Olivia felt another pang of guilt run through her as she realised she spilt them up. "I will always try to be nice to you. Sometimes I may come across as mean but I never want to hurt you" he whispered.

Olivia watched as Elliot's eyes flicked from her eyes to her lips. He licked his own lips and began to lean in towards her. His hand made it's way to her cheek and he pulled her closer. Their lips were mere centimetres apart when Olivia spoke up.

"It's getting late Elliot." She sighed.

"Oh right yeah. I should... I should get going" he said pulling away. He stood up immediately and headed for the door, turning only when he reached the door. "Goodnight Liv"

"Night Elliot" she sighed back as she got up and watched him walk out of the door.

The door shut behind him and Elliot slumped against the door. Little did he know his old partner was also slumped against the door, both of them wishing the evening hadn't been cut short.


End file.
